Dyche United Reaction

Sean Dyche revealed that opposing number Jose Mourinho put the frustration of a red card behind him to enter the Clarets dressing room and congratulate them on a hard-earned point.

Mourinho was dismissed at half time in a game that 10-man United dominated, but failed to find a way past a goalkeeping masterclass from Tom Heaton.

And Dyche, who had no idea the United boss had been dismissed, hailed a first point on the road that he feels can give his players added belief.

The gaffer said: “I had no idea Jose had been sent off at half time. I only found out at the end of the game, but he came in and congratulated us, so fair play and I think his questions are not with us, but the referee today.”

United played out the final 22 minutes with 10 men, following a second red card for Ander Herrera, following several penalty appeals being waved away by referee Mark Clattenburg.

Dyche added: “The sending off was unlucky because I was here in the week and people were slipping on that surface.

“I couldn’t work out whether it was a slip or a late challenge, but the others didn’t look like penalties to me, but it was a fantastic point.

“There were many good things in the performance, but there’s still improvements to be made, particularly with the ball.

“Mind you, it is hard when you come here and a lot of credit goes to them, because they never stopped coming, even with 10 men.

“They just kept forging and pressing and crossing and mixing up the play and our keeper and back four had to play well.

“Tom was excellent and he knows he is going to have to be on top form. But he is a very good goalkeeper and he continues to mature and work at his game and the biggest thing for me is he has that inner belief that goalkeepers need, that the ball is not going to go in the net.

“But I’m just really proud of the shape, the basics and doing all the ugly little things that count.

“Whatever the result today, there was more belief and that was a big thing and a building block.

“It isn’t as easy as saying we can kick on because it’s the Premier League and we know it’s a tough task, home and away.

But psychologically you come off the back of a real fight last week and a late goal, then to come here and fashion out a point was really important.